Index card



F. HILLER May 14, 1935.

INDEX CARD Filed Oct. 1, 193 {Sheets-Sheet l May 14, 1935. F. HILLER 2,001,462

INDEXVGARD Filed Oct. 1, 1932 {Sheets-Sheet 2 7 May 14, 1935. F HlLLER 2,001,462

"? zmgmma g May 14, 1935.1 HlLLER -2,0Ql, 46: 2.;

I INDEXCARD Filed Oct. 1, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented- May 14, 193 g s'rA'rEs INDEX CARD 7 Friedrich Hiller, Cologne-on-the-Rhine, Germany Application October 1, 1932, Serial No. 635,801

' In Germany October 12, 1931 9 Claims. (Cl. 1291 6.5)

The invention relates to index cards, i. e. to borders are not spoilt by considerable echelon groups of cards lying over each other in echelon movements. form, or sheets of paper, or pockets taking up In the drawings: same, suitably arranged for bookkeeping or simi- Figure 1 is a pictorial representation of the lar purposes and so bound together that,-in order cards belonging to a group in a closed position. 5 to show the contents of the individual cards, the Figure 2, shown likewise pictorially, this group edges are formed in steps or echeloned with refof cards echeloned out for simultaneous revelaerence to each other, so that all the cards, leaves tion of contents, with lineable' borders or edges; or pockets become simultaneously visible. Figure 3 is a section through Figure 1, at right "The subject of the invention is index cards of angles. 10 this kind whereby the echelon idea is carried Figure 4 is a sec-tion on the same plane as Fig. into effect by means of strings or the like which 3 but showing the Car in Ofiset DOSitiOII- are carried through a suitable selected hole out Figure 5 is a front view of the cards echeloned t of-a series of holes on the edge of each card. out with parallel sides.

In index cards of this kind, hitherto known, Figure 6 8 a S c 011111116 VIVI of Figure ranged in a plane surface in such a way that they in closed position.

there is provided only one such string connection F gur correspflnding Section through the for every group of cards, and to get the cards in closed cards.

the echelon position renderingthemsimultane- Figure 8 is a perspective view of the applica ously visible itis necessary to have the cards artion of the invention to a group of filedpapers can follow the movement of the string or like and Figu 9 is a Perspective v ew Similar to in a parallel direction. showing the covers in open position.

The subject of the present invention forms an Figure 10, a section through Fig. 9 at the elaboration of the means of movement serving to strin bind and move the parts of such index cards, Figure 11 is an interior view of the front cover which is an improvement of the mode of operaof the file of Fig. 10. I

tion of visible index card systems in that it is not Figure 12 shows a side view of a number of files necessary to have a plane working surface to in closed and echeloned position in a suitable.

operate the cards. This is accomplished by the container, as per Figs. 8-11 ready for use.

fact that the cord or other device for bringing In the form shown in Figs. 1-4 of the device, 30 the cards into the position of simultaneous visithe individualcards l of the pack are enclosed bility passes through holes punched in the single between two flat covers preferably of stout cardcards, not only on one side longitudinal edge, but board or pasteboard, or wood or the like, having on two parallel edges, the holes arranged at equal the same height as these cards. The rear cover heights at opposite edges, by which the adjacent 2, is provided at its upper edge with a protruding 35 cards are echeloned by the distance of a line, or hand grip 4 serving at the same time to label the the distance required to be echeloned by each contents. Near its lower edge at uniform discard, according to position in the same sense. tance from the two vertical edges there are fixed By this means it is accomplished that if both tw binders 6 o which t e a d a fil d y strings, cords, etc., are stressed simultaneously means of a P of holes equally high by 40 under the efiect of gravity or other force acting eries of holes, disposed along the vertical edges on the cards, the cards are necessarily brought of the cards umformly' into a state of being parallel to each other when T {arrangement of the carfis on the bmdm? echeloned into the position of visibility, without Strmg each card fixed by 45 there being need for touching any definite of holes one higher or lower than those of adgla- 45 part of a guiding-rhea By means of this more cent cards. For example, the front ends 0 e v two binders are led through holes near the upper positlve bmdmg together of the smgle f of edge of the'front cover 3 and in the drawings are each group, the handling of the .cards m every secured to handles 9 serving to operate same. respect is rendered easier without rendering more If one grasps the two rings 9 inthe closed mean? accessibility to h Wm surface position of Figurel, of the closed bundle and Be des th t e is obtained a further n pulls upwards, the cards will be so displaced that cation of the ec means e, by means of successive pairs of holes register, and at the same this idea, the cards can remain stored in an time a portion of each card-equal to the vertical echeloned state permanently, so that their visible distance between two holes will'be displaced ver- 55 'the cards are similarly rendered accessible by turning the cards around.

The form shown in Figs. 5-7 of the group of cards distinguishes itself from that shown in Figs. 1-4 fundamentally only in that instead of using binders consisting of round string 6, 5 fiat bands In, H are employed, which consist preferably of thin sheet metal, for example, watch spring steel of similarstuff. The back end of each of the bands l I is preferably fixed in the form of a joint in the vertical direction on the lower end of the back cover plate 2 like a hinge. The front ends of the bands each terminate in an eye 12 and is secured by a piece'of wire l3, which, by means of two sheet metal hinges M on the upper end of the front cover plate 3, is fixed so that it can be drawn out.

Provided no alteration in the mutual position of the cards of the single groups, and therebyno alteration of the holes, is contemplated, the holes not required can be omitted, that is to say, on each card there will be only two border holes so positioned as to provide the required echelon of the free edges.

As in the case of the index cards, such as can be moved vertically, one can fashion each one of the cards as a pocket, open at the top, for insertion of the actual account sheets, and,-if pre-' ferred, one can use as a backing for such a pocket, a stout back sheet which, according to the simple sheets to be inserted, is punched and filed on the two bands Ill and l l with suitable holes and the upper edge of which, by virtue of the staggered holing, can be used for designating or labelling the accounts.

In the form shown in Figs. 8-12 of the invention, the arrangement is such that in this case the leaves formed as pockets to contain account sheets of each group of cards are closed in echelon.

form. For this purpose the backs of both covers I5 and I6 are lengthened by the sum of the amounts of echelon of each pocket at the upper border with respect to the filing bands I0-ll which are connected between the front cover l6 and rear cover 15, the cover being connected by means of 'a flexible strip I! of leather or suitable fabric.

The two elastic filing bands It, H are preferably of thin steel, each being terminated at the front with a button l8 sliding in a vertical slot' IQ of the front cover parallel to the plane of the appropriate filing holes of the cards or pockets. The length of the two filing bands is so'proportioned that two connected s pporting covers can two covers l5 and I 6, the two buttons I 8 of the filing bands l0 and H, rise in their slots. When these covers are closed the pliability of the bands permits them to bend easily and without permanent alteration of form, but bending does occur such that the cards or pockets, in taking up their normal echeloned position make only a slightrelative vertical displacement. By this is obtained a greater life of the pockets.

In use the visible groups of cards, the neces-'- sary number are preserved in open containers (boxes), the side walls 2| of which are arranged at a distance apart the width of the cards, while the front and back covers 22, 23 are hinged with hinges (24) at their lower ends and can be held in position by means of a pair of slot rings 25 attached to both sides. The files in the preservation box can he leaned in a slightly sloping position partly against the front, 22, and partly against the back cover 23, so that between these two groups there is room to open .the foremost file of both groups and render it accessible, as Figure 12 shows.

I claim:--

1. The combination with a series of index cards each having on opposite side edges 2. row of spaced openings, said rows extending parallel to said side edges, and a pair of flexible strands each extending through one of the openings of a respective row, the openings of-successive cards receiving said strands being successively offset upwardly from the bottom of the rearmost card of the series whereby like marginal top portions of the cards are displaced upwardly from the front to the rear of the series upon tensioning said strands, said strands being each free from knots between its ends.'

2. .The combination with a series of index cards each having on opposite side edges a row of spaced openings, said rows extending parallel to said side edges, and a pair of flexible strands each extending through one of the openings of a respective row, the openings of successive cards receiving said strands being successively offset upwardly from the bottom of the rearmost card of the series whereby like marginal top portions'of the cardsare displaced upwardly from the front to the rear of the series upon tensioning said strands, the holes at one side of each card being respectively in horizontal alinement with the respective holes on the opposite side of the card whereby tensioning of the two strands effects positioning of the marginal edges of the cards in parallelism, said strands being each free from knots between its ends.

3. The combination with a series of index cards each having on opposite side edges a row of spaced openings, said rows extending parallel to said side edges, a pair of flexible strands each extending through one of the openings of a respective row, the openings of successive cards receiving said strands being successively oifset upwardly from the bottom of the rearmost card of the series whereby like marginal top portions of the cards are displaced upwardly from the front to the rear of the series upon tensioning said strands, and a covering folder for said series of cards having front and rear members hingedly connected at their lower edges, said strands having their front and rear members attached respectively to the front and rear members of said folder.

4. The combination with a series of index cards each having on opposite side edges a row of spaced openings, said rows extending parallel to saidside edges, a pair of flexible strands each extending through one ofthe openings of a respective row, the openings of successive cards receiving said strands being successively offset upwardly from the bottom of the rearmost card of the series whereby like marginal top portions of the cards are displaced upwardly from the front to the rear of the series upon tensioning said strands, the holes at one side of each card being respectively in horizontal alinement with the respective holes on the opposite side of the card whereby tensioning of the two strands efiects positioning of the marginal edges of the cards in parallelism, and a covering folder for said series of cards having front and rear members hingedly connected at their lower edges, said strands having their front and rear members attached respectively to the front and rear members of said folder.

5. The combination with a series of index cards each having on opposite side edges a. row of spaced openings, said rows extending parallel to said side edges, a pair of flexible strands each vextending through one of the openings of a respective row, the openings of successive cards receiving said strands being successively ofl'set upwardly from the bottom of the rearmost card of the series whereby like marginal top portions of the cards are displaced upwardly from the front to the rear of the series upon tensioning said strands, and means for simultaneously tensioning said strands.

6. The combination with a series of index cards eachhaving. on opposite side edges 9. row of spaced openings, said rows extending parallel to said side-edges, a. pair of flexible strands each extending through one of the openings'of a respective row, the openings of successive cards receiving said strands being successively oflset upwardly from the bottom of the rearmost card of the series whereby like marginal top portions of the cards are displaced upwardly from the front to the rear of the series upon tensioning said strands, the holes at one side of each card being respectively in horizontal alinement with I the respective holes on the opposite side of the card whereby tensioning of the two strands effects positioning of the marginal edges of the cards in parallelism, and means for simultaneously tensioning said strands.

7. The combination with a series of index cards each having on opposite side-edges a row of spaced openings, said rows extending parallel to said side edges, a pair of flexible strandseach extending through one of the openings of a re spective row, the openings of successive cards receiving said strands being successively oifset upspective row, the openings of successive cards receiving said strands being successivelymfiset upwardly from thebottom of the rearmost card of the series whereby like marginal top portions of the cards are displaced upwardly from the front to therear of the series upon tensioning said strands, a supporting cover at the rear end of the system to which the rear ends of the two strands are attached in the plane of elevation of the lowermost periorationof each of the two rows of perforations and spaced in accordance with the spacing of said rows o perforations,

and a supporting cover at the front end of the system to which the frontends of thetwo strands are attached.

9. The combination with a series of index cards each, having on opposite side edges a row of spaced openings, said rows-extending parallel to said side edges, a pair of flexible strands each extending through one of the openings of a respective row, the openings of successive cards receiving said strands being successively offset upwardly from the bottom of the rearmostcard of the series whereby like marginal top portions of the cards are displaced upwardly from the front:

to the rear of the series upon tensioning said strands, the rear ends of the strands being at- I tached to a rigid rear cover in the plane of elevation of the lowermost perforation of each of the .two rows of perforations, and the frontends of the strands being attached to a rigid front cover the plane of elevation of the uppeimost perforation of each of the two rows of perforations of the foremost cardwhen the cards are in superposed position.

FRIEDRICH KILLER. 55 

